New Orleans Saints defensive end Cam Jordan maintained his jovial demeanor all of last season despite a big zero showing up next to his name and in the statistical category of sacks week by week. He had to joke about it without going insane.

Chris Granger/The Times-PicayuneSaints second-yeard defensive end Cameron Jordan will be asked to be an every-down player this season.

After penalties wiped away potential sacks at least twice during the 2011 season, Jordan finally corralled his first career sack against elusive Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in Week 17. It was Jordan's only sack of his rookie season.

Several of Jordan's teammates talked this week about how Jordan always played well against the run. Jordan understood, but didn't relish how his reputation by the end of last season developed into being a one-dimensional player. The Saints will need Jordan to display his first-round pick pedigree as an every-down player beginning Sunday against the Washington Redskins, and especially with defensive end Will Smith already beginning his four-game suspension.

Jordan hopes he displayed an example of his improved pass-rushing skills during the Saints' fourth preseason game against the Houston Texans, when he received the most significant playing time of the exhibition season.

Jordan abused Texans right tackle Derek Newton, who will be the Week 1 starter for Houston, throughout the first half against the run. Jordan also blew by Newton off the edge in the second quarter to sack Texans quarterback Matt Schaub for a 7-yard loss -- despite drawing a holding call. On the next play rookie cornerback Corey White stripped Texans rookie wideout Keyshawn Martin, allowing defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis to pounce on the ball.

Safety Malcolm Jenkins said those types of plays are the difference with Jordan from last year to the start of this season.

"Last year, he played really well against the run," Jenkins said. "This year, he's added a pass rush to his game. He's becoming well rounded, and I think he's going to play a huge role in what we do defensively. ... (Jordan's improvement) will free us up on the back end to get some pressure with the front four."

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has little plans of taking the 6-foot-4, 287-pound lineman out of Cal-Berkeley off the field. Jordan has lined up at defensive end on first- and second-down situations and often will be moved to tackle on passing scenarios on third down.

"I love it," Jordan said when asked how he felt about being more of an every-down defensive end.

Jordan added: "That's what I originally thought I was. In my mind, I'm an every-down snap type of guy and really now it's just going to depend where on every down. If I have to go inside, if I have to go outside, it doesn't matter. The more I play, the more I love it because for me I can catch the ebb and flow of the game. After a series or two, you get the feeling of everything.

"It's one thing to watch it on tape and have the mental preparation of the game. But then there's the physical aspect of the game like, oh, this is what they do, this is their M.O. I feel it. You don't get chopped up like when you play a series here or series there. You don't get to fully dive in. You only get a drink of water and not the full glass."

The Saints' defensive front will once again be a man down as Smith will start the season with a four-game suspension due to his connection to the team's alleged bounty scandal. Smith also missed the first two games last season to suspension.

Jordan likely will be the only every-down end as the Saints will rotate Turk McBride, Junior Galette and Martez Wilson throughout Sunday's game. Last season, the Saints struggled to create consistent pressure in the opener in Green Bay, but they pummeled Bears quarterback Jay Cutler numerous times in the second game without Smith.

"Luckily, we did face this same situation last year," Jordan said. "It's not something that we have to get adjusted to. We were expecting it. We knew about it. So I think we'll do well. We've got so much depth at D-end with me, Turk, Junebug (Galette) and Martez."

Jordan physically shivered when asked about how much learning remained for him at defensive tackle.

"There's some growing to do," Jordan said. "D-tackle is something I'm definitely comfortable with in the three-technique. The nose (tackle) is a whole different world. There's just different gears and different mentalities."

When countered with him only having to play defensive tackle in passing situations, Jordan said, "But there's every so often, like in this preseason when there were two or three runs that really give you that responsibility, you're like, 'Oh, that's why we have (Brodrick) Bunkley.'"

Galette said the Saints have nothing to worry about with Jordan set to see so many snaps this Sunday and beyond.

"He has the ability to do it," Galette said. "It's a lot to ask, but they ask him to do it because he can play inside and outside. That's a huge advantage to have a guy like that. The guy can run, as far as when we do our drills in the front of the line at 290 pounds. I think it's a great role for him. He has more than enough ability to excel at what they ask him to do."